Increasing fire danger over the weekend with excessive heat warnings in southern Utah

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) – Happy Friday, Utah! It’s another calm day for the Wasatch Front with clear skies and slightly warmer temperatures, but Mother Nature is cranking up the heat across the state next week.

A dry northwesterly flow remains over Utah this afternoon and is helping us keep near seasonal norms, while southern Utah stays above average through the extended holiday weekend. Today, temperatures will top out in the upper 80s and low 90s for much of northern Utah with high heat continuing for the southern half of the state. Overall, the weather will be mostly calm for the next few days.

The main focus is very hot and dry conditions across the state with some areas seeing a heightened fire risk due to breezy winds.

A high-pressure ridge is moving inland over the weekend, leading to potentially record-breaking temperatures from Sunday through Tuesday across Utah. The hottest temperatures will be in southwest Utah, with St. George possibly reaching or exceeding 110 degrees daily from Saturday through at least Thursday, and potentially setting new record highs on Monday and Tuesday.

Because of the extreme heat, lower Washington County, Glen Canyon/Lake Powell, and Zion National Park will have an Excessive Heat Warning going into effect from 9 a.m. Sunday through 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Northern Utah will also experience extreme heat, with temperatures possibly exceeding 100 degrees starting Tuesday and lasting through the workweek. Salt Lake City could be very near its record high of 107 by Thursday or Friday.

As temperatures are approaching record territory into next week, remember to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during peak heat, drink plenty of water, and stay out of the sun as much as possible.

There is a hint of relief popping up in the long-term forecast linked to the record-breaking Hurricane Beryl. Depending on the track of the storm and moisture from the western Mexican coast and Gulf of California, there may be some showers over southern Utah by Thursday or Friday. However, the chances are pretty slim at this point. Stay tuned!

We’ll keep you posted on the latest developments in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah!

• Dry and breezy
• Increasing fire danger for some
• Hot in the south
• Heat builds into the weekend
• Excessive Heat Warning
• Record-breaking heat next week

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